Multi-dimensional transformation systems and display communication architecture for compositions and derivations thereof

ABSTRACT

A composition display system produces a display presentation in one of a plurality of formats from an original composition, the formats being created from the original composition responsive to input variables and a selected operating mode. The system is comprised of means to receive the original composition, a memory, a selection subsystem, a controller, a master display subsystem, and one or more slave display subsystems. The controller, responsive to the selection subsystem, provides means for selectively controlling the storing of the original composition in the memory. The master display subsystem can optionally provide means for selectively altering the stored original composition to produce a particular derivative composition. One or more slave display subsystems provide for displaying a presentation of the original (or optionally the particular derivative composition) in the selected format responsive to the master display subsystem. The master display subsystem can provide control of content and page turns for display on one or a plurality of the slave display subsystems.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This patent application is a Continuation of patent application Ser. No.08/677,469 filed on Jul. 10, 1996 now issued Pat. No. 5,728,960 viaclaiming the benefit of priority as a Continuation of, patentapplication Ser.No. 09/492,218 filed on Jan. 27, 2000 now issued Pat.No. 7,157,638 issued on Jan. 2, 2007, which is a Division of patentapplication Ser. No. 09/039,952 filed on Mar. 16, 1998 now issued Pat.No. 6,084,168 issued on Jul. 4, 2000, which is a Continuation-in-part ofpatent application Ser. No. 08/677,469 filed on Jul. 10, 1996 now issuedPat. No. 5,728,960 issued on Mar. 17, 1998.

FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to the field of using and/or editingand/or collaborating, with compositions (e.g., documents, and images,including but not limited to music). More particularly, the presentinvention relates to transposing, communicating, and displayingcomposition (e.g., images or documents or text), either in batch orcollaboratively in a real time environment, and to provide thedisplaying of the compositions, with or without their respective changesor revisions.

Musicians typically work from sheet music. When composing, they writethe notes down on paper that has a number of staffs. If the musiciantransposes a composition from one key to another, the notes are alsowritten down on the staff paper. The scores for different instrumentsmust also be generated and written down. All of the scores are thencopied for distribution to other musicians and/or music stores.

When performing, the sheet music must be found, for all parts to beplayed, manually distributed, manually set-up, manually handled (rampages, etc.). There is also an unfulfilled need for quick access to amore comprehensive database of music for the performing musician,whether he is solo or part of an orchestra. Also, musicians oftenperform audience requests, and require access to sheet music forrequested songs. Presently, there are various combinations of songscompiled in “FAKE” Books, usually by category (e.g., rock, country,blues, big band, etc.). This is only of limited help. Furthermore, theuse of paper sheet music is cumbersome and inconvenient; pages often getdamaged or lost, and indexed access is poor and slow.

This method of composing and distributing music is inadequate when themusic is used by a band or orchestra that requires hundreds of copies.If the conductor desires the piece to be played in a different key orcertain sections of the music edited to suit the conductor's tastes, thecomposition must be rewritten and the new transposed copy distributed tothe band or orchestra. This is a very costly, time-consuming, andlaborious task if the orchestra has a large number of members.

Additionally, if the composition does not have a part for a certaininstrument, the conductor must generate the required part from theoriginal composition. After the score for the required instruments hasbeen generated, the pans must be copied and distributed to theindividual musicians. This, again, is a very costly and laborious taskif the band has a large number of musicians requiring different parts.There is a need, therefore, for a more efficient way of transposing,editing, and distributing music scores.

Over the past many years, great advances have been made in theelectronic input, storage, and display of music. Electronic bands andorchestras are constructed using computers and MIDI equipment. Programsexist for personal computers (e.g., Apple Macintosh, DOS, and Windowsmachines) for transposing music, composing music, automaticallyinputting music from direct performance to digitized input (such asdirectly from a keyboard, electronically through MIDI converters (suchas for string instruments), via pickups and microphones, and sequencers,tone generators, etc.)

Musicians often perform both pre-planned and ad hoe compositions duringthe course of a performance. It would therefore be desirable to have theability to access a large database of musical compositions on demand. Itwould also be desirable to permit communication and synchronization of amusic presentation to multiple performing musicians who are playingtogether. It would also be desirable for a performing musician to havehis or her performance of the music input, stored and analyzed by anautomated system.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention encompasses a composition presentation systemenabling a user to select from one or a variety of compositions (e.g.,musical or other types of compositions), control the adaptation of theselected composition, and then distribute the edited version efficientlyin a paperless environment. The system and process of the presentinvention also provides means for receiving the composition from anumber of sources. The user selects the desired composition from thesource. The desired composition is displayed and/or stored in thesystem's memory for further processing by the system prior to displayand/or distribution.

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, each of theworkstations in an intelligent composition communication architectureprovides for information, to be distributed for a video or visualpresentation of the composition in a user-friendly notation, and/orprovides an audio presentation that can be selectively tracked andsynched to the video presentation and/or tracks and synchs to videopresentation to a live performance, etc.

In one embodiment, the system includes a user input device enablingselection of the musical composition, and optionally, permitting anyuser specified editing desired in the composition, and, in a preferredembodiment, permitting user selection of parameters (e.g., in a musicenvironment, the musical key in which the composition is to be played).The user can then instruct the system to transmit the newly generatedcompositions to one or more display subsystems (such as CRT's, LED's,LCD's, etc.), or to other systems. In the preferred embodiment, thesedisplays take the form of liquid crystal displays built into music standbased systems, also referred to herein as display stations.

This invention also relates to a composition presentation and/orcommunication system, and more particularly, to a system which permitsusers e.g., musicians, to view the audiovisual or visual-onlypresentations of a composition, to permit the musician/user to performor otherwise use the composition in a form as selected or modified bythe user.

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, one or moremusic workstations are provided, consisting of a video presentationmeans, such as a display screen (CRT, LCD, LED, Heads Up Display (HUD)etc.) in conjunction with a computer-based system which in oneembodiment stores a database of compositions (e.g., in a musicembodiment: songs and music) which can be utilized by the musician/userof the system.

In accordance with one music embodiment of the present invention, thereare provided numerous workstations, such that different or similarinstruments can each select a respective portion of a song to beperformed, such that all musicians performing the same musical piece areprovided musical presentation or representation in the same key topermit the playing of the music together. In a preferred embodiment, thesystem is capable of locking into a particular key (and/or instrumenttype) responsive to input variables (such as can be provided via aninput device such as a microphone or camera) to determine the desiredkey to be played in. In a preferred embodiment, all music is thereafterautomatically transposed. In one of the illustrated embodiments, thetransposition of the music takes place locally at the music workstationwhich provides local intelligence. An original musical composition, suchas selected from a stored database of a library of music is thentransposed in accordance with transposition rules. Many options areavailable, and various transposition rules and methods are well knownand documented and in use on numerous products, such as keyboards whichhave built-in capabilities for transposition of music, as well ascomputer software which provides for transposition and notation ofmusic.

In accordance with an alternate embodiment, the user connects to aremote database via wireless or wired communication to permitdownloading to the local computer of those musical pieces which the userhas selected for performance. The user terminal, or the centralcomputer, can receive the transposed (derivative composition) version orcan receive an unmodified (original musical composition) version, whichit can then display and/or convert and transpose music as necessary foreach instrument and/or key.

In an alternate embodiment, a user can prearrange for downloading ofselected compositions of any type via a remote connection service, wherethe user terminal can include a non-volatile storage memory permittingthe storage and replay of all requested compositions. Alternatively, acentral server can be provided, where multiple end terminals share asingle central controller computer, where each end terminal has its owncomputer, which communicates with the central server computer, or witheach other, or in a distributed architecture.

Alternatively, a non-volatile storage structure, such as a CD-ROM, cancontain a database of compositions which can be selected from to beutilized, displayed, edited, (or for music to additionally oralernatively be transposed) in accordance with the present invention.

It is a further objective of the present invention to provide acommunication architecture and methodology that permits thesynchronizing and/or the collaborating of display presentations formultiple display stations working with, or performing, the samecomposition.

It is a further object of the present invention to permit the comparisonof a user's performance parameters, such as parameter signals obtainedvia a user input (e.g., a switch, a keyboard, a touch screen, amicrophone and/or a camera) of the user's (e.g., for music a performingartist's) response or performance or execution, as compared to thestored and displayed composition (e.g., music, text image). Thecomparison includes parameters appropriate for the type of composition[(e.g., in a music embodiment: the pitch, timing, volume, and tempo,etc. of the music) (such as through audio recognition) and critique theartist's physical movements (e.g., proper finger position, etc.) throughvisual recognition]. In a preferred embodiment, the workstation systemprovides the user/performer and/or a conductor/teacher/leader with apresentation performance feedback indicating the quality of theperformance as compared to the stored or displayed composition, such asany errors, where they occurred, etc.

It is a further object of the present invention, in the musicembodiments, to provide a system whereby any displayed music can betransposed (e.g., to a different key, or converted to include differentor additional different instruments and voices than that in which thesheet music is originally displayed).

It is a further object of the present invention to provide automatedmodes of intelligent operation of the workstations, and to provideresponsiveness to multiple forms of user input.

These and other aspects and attributes of the present invention will bediscussed with reference to the following drawings and accompanyingspecification.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIGS. 1A and 1B show a music presentation system in accordance with thepresent invention;

FIGS. 2A-2G show flow charts of the processes in accordance with thepresent invention;

FIG. 3 shows one embodiment of the display for the music displayworkstations and input devices in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 4 shows a shared music database and stand alone workstationembodiment in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 5 shows a music communication system in accordance with the presentinvention;

FIG. 6 shows a master workstation and slave workstations in accordancewith the present invention;

FIG. 7 shows an alternate embodiment of the present invention using oneor more of the workstations coupled to a master controller and musicdatabase;

FIG. 8 shows a marching band environment in accordance with the presentinvention;

FIG. 9 shows a person outfitted with a sensor body suit in accordancewith one aspect of the present invention; and

FIG. 10 shows a movement and pattern recognition system in accordancewith one aspect of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

While this invention is susceptible of embodiment in many differentforms, there is shown in the drawing, and will be described herein indetail, specific embodiments thereof with the understanding that thepresent disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of theprinciples of the invention and is not intended to limit the inventionto the specific embodiments illustrated.

In accordance with the teachings of the present invention, a system andmethodology are provided for music presentation and communication.Musical compositions can be input to the present invention from any oneor more of multiple sources, such as from prestored score images, livemicrophone, direct input from musical instruments or vocal directperformances, scanning in of existing printed score images (opticallycharacter recognized), cameras, visuals, etc. These inputs by the systemare used in the selective storage, composition, communication, andpresentation of the musical system of the present invention. The systemcan generate additional material automatically, or permit a user tomodify, communicate, display and/or reproduce the musical compositions.

Modification can be performed on rhythm, primary key, individual notes,chords, etc. The vast store of musical information stored in digitalnotation format and/or any video format, can be broadcast (analog ordigital) to a local music workstation or a master controller, which canalso be a local workstation. The master controller can be a stand aloneunit, or act as a server as well as its own stand alone unit, or simplyas a server to a plurality of other stand alone units. However, in theminimal configuration, only a single musical user station is needed.

In one preferred embodiment, the workstation is provided as a musicstand where the display presentation is a liquid crystal display (LCD).The LCD that can provide monochrome, gray scale or high quality colordisplays, depending on design and cost constraints and desires. Otherdisplay types can also be used. A touch-screen input can provide forsimplified and adaptive user input selections. An optional bit-inmetronome function can also be provided for display presentation audioand/or video. A subsystem can also be optionally provided to permit themusic to be audibly reproduced at the workstation through a speaker orheadphone jack or other output.

It is well known in the art to convert user analog audio input into adigital format, ranging from straight Analog to Digital (e.g., A/D)conversion to processed data conversion to encoded digital music data,such as MIDI. Examples of MIDI include guitar input or other stringedinstrument input through microphones or directly to MIDI-converters, orvoice/non-pickup instruments through microphone converted to MIDI-input,or keyboard MIDI-input. Such input systems are commercially availablefrom numerous companies for numerous types of interfaces at numerousinterface levels. Similarly, numerous A/D converter subsystems arecommercially available at chip and board solution levels (such as fromAnalog Devices Corporation and from Mattrox Systems).

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, themulti-dimensional music transformation system of the present inventionalso enables a user to select one or more musical compositions from alarger database from a plurality of musical compositions. The databasecan be stored locally within the workstation, on site, or remotelystored and transmitted to the user (such as over cable, wire, telephonelines, wireless (such as radio frequencies)). The user can alsooptionally edit the selected score of the composition (such as changingthe key and/or any note and/or timing, etc.) to suit his or her taste.The score (altered (the derivative composition) or not (the originalcomposition)) can then be transmitted to one or more displays such asliquid crystal or CRTs in the music stands of the band or orchestra. Thepresent invention, therefore, provides an efficient, paperless solutionto communicating, presenting (displaying), and optionally one or more oftransposing, editing, inputting, comparative testing-teaching,conducting, and disseminating music to one display or a large number ofdisplays. Each display can have the same, or a different, unique,customized presentation of music notation as appropriate per selection,responsive to a set-up by a system, automatically per predefinedparameters, and/or to user input. The score can also be printed out if ahard copy is desired.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, the music is stored, such as on a large harddrive or CD ROM jukebox, in a digital format as a music library (120).The music library (120) is coupled to a processor subsystem (115).Coupling can be wireless or cabled such as through a shielded cable,fiber optic conductor, switched connection (such as via phone lines),local, or remote. The processor (115) has the local storage capacity(e.g., semiconductor memory, disk storage, etc.) to hold the digitizedversion of the music composition transmitted to it on request from thelibrary (120). The music library can be local or proximately remote fromthe rest of the system.

In a wireless embodiment, the music library (120) is coupled to acommunications subsystem (such as a radio frequency transmitter) (125)that transmits the contents of requested compositions from the remotemusic library (120) to the processor (115) through the antenna (104) ofthe transmitter. The antenna (102) at the receiver picks up thetransmitted signal and the receiver conveys it to the processor (115).This embodiment enables the music library (120) to be remote and locatedat a great distance from the requesting site. The communicationssubsystem (125) can be a transceiver for bidirectional wirelesscommunication, or a transmitter for one-way wireless communication (suchas where the requests are otherwise communicated to the music librarysubsystem (120), such as via a wired connection).

As illustrated in FIG. 1A, a system controller, in the form of a musicstand (105C) with a liquid crystal display, is used by an operator(e.g., performer, conductor, etc.) to select one or more musicalcompositions. FIG. 1A illustrates two types of music workstationsstands. The workstation stand (105C) provides certain optional featuresfor a more full-featured stand, including as illustrated, speakers (140)both wireless and wired communications capability, and as illustrated,shows the processor with memory (115) as an external separate component.The music stand (105P) shows the integration of the processor and memoryinto the music stand itself, and also shows both wireless (antenna(101)) and wired connection (port (107)) to permit networkcommunication. Alternatively, the conductor stand (105C) could have allor part of the features integrated into the music stand (105C).Depending on the function for which the music workstation stand will beused, some or all of the features can be provided for that stand tominimize costs or optimize versatility. For example, in one situation,only the teacher or conductor needs the full-featured, full-poweredmusic workstation. In that case, the performers or students do not havea full-feature workstation, but rather a scaled-down version of theworkstation stand. In the preferred embodiment, a user input device(110) (such as a touch screen, microphone, keyboard, switches, voicerecognition system, visual recognition system, etc.) is coupled to theprocessor in a wired (such as over a cable or fiber optic link) orwireless (such as over an RF link or infrared link) manner forworkstation stand (105C), or directly to the processor, where it isbuilt into the system controller as workstation (105P). The user canselect an original musical composition from the touch screen of theliquid crystal display (133). The processor responds by storing thatcomposition in the memory (113) of the local workstation of the user asrequested.

Using the touch sensitive LCD (135), the user can now create aderivative musical composition. The touch sensitive LCD allows the userto enter the musical key in which the original composition will beplayed, edit any notes desired, and select the instruments and partsthat will be playing the composition. The composition as originallycomposed, and the derivative or modified composition can be played backto the user over speakers (140) so that he or she may listen (e.g., suchas to observe how the changes will sound) while optionally permittingsimultaneous viewing of the score on the presentation visual display.Once the score has been designated (e.g., selected, edited, etc.) to theusers (e.g., conductor's) taste, the appropriate portions (e.g., bymusical instrument) of the scores can then be transmitted for (optionalstorage and) display to the respective associated individual musicworkstation stands of the band members.

In a preferred embodiment, each stand has an input device (110) thatpermits the user of the stand to select which instrument will be usingthe stand. (As discussed above, this input device can take the form of atouch sensitive screen or a number of buttons or switches or voice oraudio recognition, etc.) In the preferred embodiment, each individualmusic workstation stand (105) can be directly and/or remotely programmedto addressably receive (and optionally to locally convert) and displaythe music score that is intended for the respective instrument type(user type) that will be using (is associated with) the stand. As anexample, the user of the stand (or a conductor) can input theirselection of saxophone into the user input device (110) of theworkstation stand (105C), to program that workstation stand (105C) onlyto receive the musical score for the saxophone (see FIG. 3). Then, themusical scores for all selected parts can be independently broadcast toall connected workstation stands, with each individual workstation standindividually distinguishing and accepting only its part. Alternatively,each workstation stand can be individually addressed for separatebroadcast reception of its own respective selected part. Additionally,the user of the stand can program the user input to select a musicalpart of a selected musical composition (e.g., saxophone first chair) andreceive only the musical score intended for that chair. This sameprocedure can be followed for other instruments within the band ororchestra. Alternatively, a single music composition can be broadcast toall workstations, where each workstation has local intelligence(,processing and storage) to permit local conversion for display at eachworkstation for the selected instrument for each workstation.

For wireless communications, the individual music workstation stands(105) are comprised of receivers (or transceivers where bidirectionalcommunication is desired) and antennas (101, 103) for receiving (ortransceiving) the radio frequency information from (and to) the masterworkstation (such as for the conductor). The music stand also has adisplay (such as an LCD (135)) for displaying the musical score intendedfor that stand.

Referring to FIG. 1 B, the music workstation stands can either beidentical or broken down into conductor stands and performer stands. Aconductor stand (105CON) may have more functions and control than aperformer stand (105PER). A performer stand (105PER) might only have theability to receive and display musical scores, whereas the conductorstand (105CON) has the ability to select the musical score, change thekey of the musical composition, and perform other tasks only a conductorwould be permitted or required to do.

In one embodiment, an RF antenna for the stand (105) can be built intothe stand itself. Alternatively, instead of using RF, the performer'sstand can be linked to the main (e.g., conductor's) stand usinginfrared, fiber optic cable, shielded cable, or other data transmissiontechnologies. As discussed above, the communications link can bebidirectional, such as to facilitate requests and responses tofacilitate the feedback of performance parameters or such that anyworkstation can be a master or slave, or used in combinations.

FIG. 2A illustrates the overall operation of the music compositioncommunication workstation. It begins by starting up the system (200).The system then provides a menu (201) that allows the user to select alisting of available music compositions. The user then selects one ormore compositions (210). If the user selects one from the menu that islocally stored, it directly retrieves the information. Alternatively, ifit's not something locally stored, the system couples (e.g. will dial upor go through a database or network) to a remote storage site andrequests and receives the selected compositions.

Any changes that are desired to the composition can be selected at thenext logic block (215). If there are changes (such as to the key, ornote editing, or selection of form of display or instruments), thenthose can be accomplished as illustrated at blocks (255) to (285).

If no changes are desired, the musical score for the composition that isselected is broadcast, transmitted, or otherwise transferred to theworkstation music stand (220). It is internally stored in the localworkstation music stand. Next, the score is displayed (225) on theworkstation display (e.g., LCD or CRT) or a video projection system. Thedisplay can also be part of an integral stand-alone workstation or aninterconnected group of components including a personal computer (suchas Macintosh, or DOS or Windows PC).

The display mode selection is then made (230). This permits selection ofan operational display mode, not simply choosing the resolution orcolor. The two main choices in the preferred embodiment are a manualmode (250) and an automated mode (240). In the automated mode selection(240), there are many sub-modes or options, such as the operational modethat permits the performer or user to do their performing without havingto tend to the selection of the portion of the music to be displayed orthe turning of pages. In the auto performance mode as shown on LCD(135P), there is provided the simultaneous displaying of the selectedmusical composition, and a display representative of the audioperformance of the user, and a divergence signal or divergence datarepresentative of analyzing the performance, preferably in approximatelyreal-time.

FIG. 2B illustrates the manual mode (250), which provides for usermanual selection of functions (252). There are many functions that theuser can select, even in the manual mode, such as hitting a button or atouch screen to cause the turning of the page of the display. Anotherfunction is to go back a page or to scroll forwards or backwards. Forthose who are vision impaired, another function can increase the fontsize of the music presentation.

Thus, there are many manually selected functions that can be provided.While the manual mode can have automated functions selected, it isdistinguished from the automated mode where control is partiallypre-defined without user assistance. In the manual mode (250), the userselects any and all features that are going to be provided (some ofwhich can be automated). The selected function is then processed (256).

Next, any ongoing needs are processed (257). These needs can include anyoverlapping automated function (not otherwise inconsistent with anyother selected function).

Referring to FIG. 2C, the operation of the automated mode “A Mode” (240)is illustrated. First, the user selection of the desired automatic modeis detected and responded to, illustrated as the auto-advance mode(242), the trig mode (244), the performance mode (246), or any one of anumber of other modes (248) as is described in further detailhereinafter. For example, auto repeat mode can be selected bydesignating the start and stop points, and the number of times to repeata “looped” portion (or portions) of the displayed musical composition.Marching band mode (auto-advance based on metronome function, conductorcontrol, etc), auto-compose mode, and many others can also beimplemented. The order of selection of auto-advance, trig, orperformance mode is arbitrary, and the user can alternatively decidefrom a menu where all are simultaneously presented as choices.

The display can advance the music by page option, or by a user selectionof one of many options (e.g., scrolling, tablature, video graphictutorial display, etc.).

Referring to FIG. 2D, the automated mode 1 for auto-advance operation(242) of FIG. 2C is illustrated, where the user has selected anauto-advance performance mode. In this mode “A Mode 1” (271), the systemtracks the performance by the user of the composition to the score(272). Performance refers to the actual performance by an individualperson (or people) who is (are) reading the musical score upon which theperformance is based. Whether that score is in tablature format, staffand clef and note notation, or some other format, the system generatesappropriate signals to permit comparison of the user's performance tothe musical score.

Based on a comparison, a decision is made pursuant to selection criteriaprogrammed into the system (such as the rate at which the piece is beingplayed, the time signature, the tempo, the rhythm, and the advancementof the music on the available display), the display presentation isadvanced (274 and 278). In some cases, the music might move backwards,such as with D. S. Coda. The presentation of the display tracks theperformance to permit smooth, uninterrupted playing or singing. Thecapability can be provided for the user to over-ride this auto-advance,such as for practicing where it is desired to keep going back oversections. In this case, a user over-ride option (276) is permitted toalter the automated operation. Upon cessation of user over-ride, thesystem can be programmed to stop, to automatically return to the regularauto-advance mode, or to process other auto-modes (270) of FIG. 2C.

Referring to FIG. 2E, the automated mode “A Mode 2” (244) operation ofFIG. 2C is illustrated corresponding to the training mode. In this mode,the system tracks the performance (280) of the individual user to thecomposition score, primarily for the purpose of permitting a criticalanalysis and comparison of the performance to the score (282). Thisanalysis determines divergence from the selected musical score, andreveals errors or deviations from desired performance goals (e.g. matchof timing of notes, duration of notes, pitch of notes, etc.), and todisplay those errors (284) (such as by audio or video means). Predefinedperformance goals provide the knowledge basis for expert system basedanalysis.

The system can then generate a graded score (286) indicating errors, andcan present it in numerous formats such as histograms, frequency oferrors, spacing of errors, etc. Identification of when the errors occur(e.g., only when going from slow to fast, or fast to slow), absoluteposition within the score and so forth, are also tracked and reported.Other expert system rules can be provided by music teachers which givethe necessary parameters for modeling expert system reasoning, as wellas guidance and suggestions on how to correct problems such as viadisplay text, graphics, audio, etc.

The comparison of the performance to the score in the training mode isfor the purpose of detecting the performer's compliance to parameters(such as the tempo, rhythm, filter, parameter, pitch, tonality, andother features that are adaptable or can be modified by performers).This parameter information is available and published in numerous forms.Thus, having provided this core set of parameters, the system canthereafter perform the training automated mode.

As illustrated in FIG. 2F, automated mode 3 “A Mode 3” is theperformance mode (246). In this mode, the operation is as in automatedmode 1 (auto-advance mode) except that no user over-ride is permitted.Its primary purpose is to accompany the performer during the entireperformance of a score as an automated page turner. The tracking of the“page turning” to the performance can optionally be based on inputs orcriteria independent of a performer's actual performance input (e.g.,microphone), such as a built-in metronome clock, a central control(e.g., a conductor or special user input), etc. Additionally,performance characteristics can be tracked, computed, and reported as inthe teaching and training mode. Training feedback can optionally beprovided real-time, or subsequent to completion of performance, toassist the performer as in the training mode. Alternatively, the scorecan be presented in a moving score mode (e.g., vertically, horizontally,or other, vise) or linear presentation as opposed to a real page turningdisplay.

FIG. 2G shows the operation of automated mode 4 (“A Mode 4”) whichprovides for the processing of other automated functions selected by thesystem. These modes can include conductor mode, karaoki mode, etc.

In conductor mode, a conductor can control communications of signals tohis or her performer (such as “increase volume”, or “increase tempo”, or“play staccato”). Icons can be provided where the conductor simplytouches a touch screen (or other input mechanisms) to supplement hishand and body motions to permit more effective communication with theperformers. Alternatively, as illustrated in FIGS. 9 and 10, in a moreadvanced system version, the conductor's movements are first learned bya monitoring system, based on user definition and assignment of meaningsfor movement to provide an expert knowledge database.

This system provides for tracking of movement input such as in FIG. 10via video camera (1005) input of the conductor (1015) against a backdrop(e.g., blue screen) (1010) is processed by video processing unit (1020),or, as shown in FIG. 9, via body glove technology (gloves (935) orsensors (944) or sensor clothing (940) or head or eye movement trackingsensor (930) (such as used in virtual reality, flight simulation,avionics equipments (such as jets and space travel), and sports playersfor analyzing movement) to provide the necessary movement input. Thismovement input is analyzed utilizing the expert knowledge database toautomatically generate a display (video and/or audio) to provide localvisual and/or audio reinforcement on the local display (such asoverlaying on a then unused portion of the music score display as apicture in a picture) to permit audio and video reinforcement of theconductor's body language. Thus, “a hush” body language signal that isdirected towards a particular section of the orchestra wouldautomatically be interpreted to cause the system to indicate, and onlyon that particular section's respective displays, a message (e.g., bigface with a finger in front of it making a hush sound with a “hush”sound simultaneously output from a speaker). The conductor mode providesmany benefits to performance and communication.

For all automated modes (e.g., A Modes 1, 2, 3, 4), training feedbackcan be provided real time or subsequent to performance at either or bothof the performer's workstation and a second (e.g., teacher's)workstation.

The advantages of electronic music composition, communication anddisplay are many. In addition to those discussed elsewhere herein, acapability exists for expert system based artificial intelligent typeassistance where the expert system assists in many of the functionsperformed in musical composition and performance. For example, in theAuto-Compose Mode, if the words need to be changed to match the meter,equivalent terms can be chosen from the many sources such as thesaurus,dictionaries, rhyming dictionaries, encyclopedias, etc., to assist aswell. Phrases from poetry, selected and indexed by content or topic canbe re-expressed to create new works. Drum and rhythm sectionaccompaniment can be expertly suggested, as well as harmonies, melodylines to accompany chords, chord progressions to accompany melodies,harmonies to accompany a melody, and suggested musical instrumentgroupings to support a particular sound, rhythm, style, tonal quality,etc.

The expert system can be built from commercially available technology,including component hardware systems with supporting software, as wellas commercially available software packages which operate oncommodity-type personal and business computers such as the Macintosh byApple Computer, Windows and DOS machines based on the X86 and Pentiumprocessor technology of Intel, technology based on the Power PC and68XXX processor by Motorola, DEC PDP-11 technology, Sun workstations,etc. Custom microcomputer or DSP based system architecture on a chip canalso be constructed, as well as ASICs, custom or semi-custom logic.

The system can be designed to take advantage of expert system designknowledge. A database of rules and facts are provided, and accumulatedover time by the system in a self-learn mode. The expert system itselfhas the necessary logic to probe the user, monitor the performance, andapply the rules to provide feedback and reports to the user of skilllevel, errors, automated performance display, etc., starting with a basedefined set of rules, instructions, and a knowledge database specific tomusic.

The form of the musical score communication can be easily shaped to fitneeds. One example is MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interfacestandard) which has advantages such as of bandwidth of storage used, iswidely available commercially, is standardized, etc. However, signalprocessing, text, icon-based, object based, and various other forms ofstorage, user interface, and processing can also be applied to morespecific applications of product.

FIG. 3 illustrates one embodiment of an LCD display used for inputcontrol and for displaying the information from the processor andmemory. In the preferred embodiment, this LCD is a touch sensitivescreen enabling the functions associated with each displayed button tochange, and also for the displayed buttons to be moved around thescreen, depending on the function to be activated. The musical score maybe edited by the conductor, such as by touching the individual noteafter which he is presented with a number of notes to replace thetouched note. The lower portion of the screen displays instruments fromwhich the conductor can select which instrument will be playing thecomposition. After a button on this screen has been touched, a number ofsub-screens may come up, each with their own individual touch sensitiveareas and functions to be activated by those areas. Alternatively, inaddition to or instead of the touch screen, the system can provide inputvia separate key switches, voice recognition, etc.

As an example, if the conductor touches the transmit key on the mainscreen, he will be presented with a screen showing all of theinstruments that he has selected for that piece and a button labeled“ALL”. He may now transit to each individual music stand or bydepressing the “ALL” area, transmit to the entire orchestra.

The music library can be contained (“stored”) on non-volatile storageeither locally or at a remote central site containing the entire (or asubset) database of all possible music (that is then downloaded to localstorage on request, either real-time at performance time or in advance.)

Alternatively, the music library can be provided on storage medium thatcan be easily transported and used on site locally with the presentationsystem. Thus, for example, disk drives, cartridges, FLASH RAM cards,plug-in memory modules, or a CD-ROM or multiple CD-ROMs in a CD-ROMchanger can be used to store and contain massive data libraries onmusical compositions. While this would be a more expensive route thanshared use of a central library, requiring each musical group to obtainlibraries on all possible compositions they may want, it has theadvantage of speed, flexibility, no need for communication with aseparate remote source, and creates a whole new mass marketing area(such as for CDs or Digital Audio Tape (DATs)). Another way of utilizingthis technology is to maintain a history of music used, either with theremote music library or local music library. This could be done for manyreasons, including copyright royalty assessment, determining a historyof musical performances and requests for future use in determiningperformance itineraries, etc. Alternatively, a hybrid of locally storedand centrally shared libraries can be utilized to optimize cost, speedand flexibility benefits.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, each displayworkstation can also provide the ability to convert performed musicalcompositions into notated musical compositions, generating theappropriate musical notation (e.g., staff, tablature, MIDI), notes, timesignature, key, instrument, or user type, etc.

The display workstation can be implemented as a totally self-containedworkstation, where each workstation contains its own processingsub-system, optional communications interface (such as wireless orcable) for network use, input/output interface including one or more ofa user input keypad, a speaker, a microphone, joysticks, push buttons,etc. Each of the stand alone workstations can then operate with a localdatabase or couple to a shared music database as illustrated in FIG. 4.

The stand alone workstation(s) (105), are coupled to the shared databaseinterface (405), and can either couple remotely (e.g., via phone lines)to the remote shared music database or to a local shared or dedicatedmusic database (410). The shared music database (410) can either beprimarily a storage means (e.g., hard disk or CD-ROM), or can include aprocessing sub-system (420) for local intelligence. In one embodiment,the stand alone music workstation includes the shared music database(410) and interface (405), non-volatile local storage medium for theshared databases (410), and a local processing Subsystem (420), and canoperate completely stand-alone. In an alternate embodiment of thisstand-alone device, the shared database interface is contained in thestand-alone workstation (but not the shared music database or processingsubsystem), and provides capability for communication with a storeddatabase (410) remote from the stand-alone device.

In either of these embodiments, an alternate additional embodimentprovides capability for each stand-alone workstation to function as amaster stand-alone, or a master or slave workstation within aworkstation set including multiple stand-alone workstations, wherein oneis designated master and the rest are designated slaves. The slaveworkstations in this configuration receive communication of musiccompositions to be displayed from the master workstation, therebypermitting one shared music database to be communicated among allworkstations which are a part of the group. It is to be appreciated thatthe shared music database function can be distributed in many differentways among the workstations, or separable from and independent from theworkstations. The choice is simply one of design, and the illustrationherein should not be taken in a limiting manner.

In one embodiment, the master workstation has complete control over theslave workstation. Anything displayed on the master workstation is alsodisplayed on the slave workstation. It is also possible for the user tomask certain portions of the display of the master workstation before itis displayed on the slave workstation. In this manner, the conductor,using the master workstation, can transmit to the slave workstationsonly that information that is required by the orchestra members.

In an alternate embodiment, the slave workstation communicatesperformance parameters or deviation signals to the master workstation,for error analysis feedback.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, means areprovided to permit a user of the music workstation to accomplish atransposition of a musical composition in pitch, tempo, and otherwise.In a preferred embodiment, the lead voice or instrument can audiblyindicate the key via the microphone input or via another type of inputstimulus. The workstation can analyze the user input, determine the key,pitch and tempo for a musical composition being partially performed bythe user, and adjust and transform the composition to be displayed inthe new user desired key, pitch, tempo, etc., either solely for use onthat workstation, or communication for use on one or more otherworkstations. In a networked version, this user input can also becommunicated to other workstations for use by one or more of theworkstations in transposing, or communicated to a master workstation,which transposes and rebroadcasts the transposed composition.

Alternatively, the user can input the pitch, tempo, and key via the userinput (e.g. keypad, joystick, push buttons, voice recognition, playingof an instrument, etc.) and the system performs the transformation anddisplays (and/or prints out and/or audibly performs) the modifiedtransformed composition for the user. Additionally, where a musicalcomposition is written for one instrument and a different or additionalinstrument version is desired for simultaneous performance, the user canindicate the other instruments via the user input, and the system willgenerate the appropriate displays. The workstation can also provide anaudio output of the transformed musical composition, either for theindividual additional instrument or voice transform and present it, orfor the composite of additional versions and the original version, tohear the blended piece.

Referring to FIG. 5, a music communication system is illustratedcomprising multiple workstations (500) each comprising a display (510),user input such as a keypad (522), a joystick (524), push buttons (525 &526), a microphone (527), and a speaker (528). The workstation alsoincludes communication interface means such as a wireless interfaceincluding an antenna (531), or alternatively or additionally a wired orcabled communication interface (540). Each workstation further includesa local microcomputer subsystem (550) that provides local intelligenceand management of functions in the workstation.

Communications interfaces of various types are well known andcommercially available. At the present time, they are available forpurchase at the chip, board, or system level. In fact, many single chipmicrocomputers include communications interface capabilities, wired orwireless.

The workstation further includes an optional musical instrument input(562) and a musical instrument output (564) that permit the coupling ofa musical instrument via a musical instrument interface (570) directlyto the workstation. Thus, a keyboard, electric guitar throughappropriate input, or a microphone input through the interface (570)permits instruments or voices to be directly input to the workstationfor direct input independent of the microphone (527).

The instrument output permits coupling of the instrument input signal,either directly fed through or as modified by the workstation for outputto the appropriate public address or amplification and presentationsystem or separate analysis system. The workstations are coupled eithervia wired or wireless communication to a processor subsystem (580) thatincludes a processor, non-volatile memory, read/write memory and aninterface to a non-volatile storage medium (582).

The processor subsystem (580) includes an appropriate communicationsinterface, such as a communications interface (540) for wired interfaceor (532) for wireless interface including antenna (533). The processorsubsystem couples to a non-volatile storage medium (582) containing,among other things, application programs, transformation programs, andeither a shared music library interface application program or theactual shared music library and access program.

As described above, the processor subsystem (580) and non-volatilestorage (582) music library can be built directly into one of the musicworkstations (500) to be a master, with the other workstations beingslaves, that can either include the processor subsystem and non-volatilestorage or can be lower cost dummy slave terminals. As illustrated inFIG. 6, a first master workstation (300) provides a basic workstationsubsystem (200) plus contains the processor subsystem (280) andnon-volatile storage system (285) as a part thereof so as to provide acomplete stand alone music communication system, and be capable ofacting as a master or master/slave. This master workstation(s) (300) canfunction as a stand alone, or can couple to one or more otherworkstations, including one or more masters (300) and/or one or morenon-master workstations (105).

The multiple connected workstations can operate as stand aloneworkstations using their local intelligence for displaying downloaded orresident music compositions. They can also interact in a master/slavelinked environment, where one of the master workstations (300) asserts amaster status, and all other inter-connected workstations, whetherworkstations (105) or master/slave workstations (300) operate in a slavemode coupled to independent on the designated master. Additionally,masters can communicate between each other for a master/master networkconfiguration.

Referring to FIG. 7, an alternate embodiment of the present invention isprovided where one or more workstations (105) include, at a minimum, adisplay of the music notation. These workstations are coupled to amaster music communications controller (415) that provides for aseparate user input (411) which provides input interface, such as to aMIDI status stream, computer data links (such as RS232, modem data link)etc. that designate requested musical compositions, transformations, anddisplay requests for various ones of the coupled workstations.

The workstations (105) access the music database storage means (420)that provide the data for the requested music composition via the mastercontroller (415). The master controller (415) displays both therequested music composition as well as user interface communication forthe music communication system to be displayed on either a dedicateddisplay (416) or on one of the workstations (105) as designated by themaster controller (415). The music database (420) can either be local,or can be via a data link (e.g., phone line, RF, otherwise). In oneembodiment, a motion sensor subsystem (422) monitors motion of a targetperson and responds in accordance with predefined movementinterpretation characteristics parameters, such as for a conductor.

In a preferred embodiment, the user input means (411) is comprised of akey switch device, such as a touch membrane keypad or capacitance touchsurface. Alternatively, in one preferred embodiment, the user input isprovided via a touch screen technology. Touch screen technology permitsthe display of user interactive icons and legends including text andgraphics making possible unlimited customization of user input structureaccording to task needs. Thus, specific switches or sequences of touchesto the touch screen can be associated with common use icons from thetask being performed in conjunction with words to provide ultimateclarity. User error is virtually eliminated, with the aid of automaticentry error detection, such as defined fields, mandatory fields, etc.

Alternatively, the microphone input (527) can provide for coupling ofuser speech to a processor sub-system (580) that uses any of a number ofcommercially available and well known speech recognition algorithms.These algorithms provide for speech recognition input control, eithersolely or as a supplement to touch screen or other tactile inputmechanisms.

In a deluxe embodiment, an output (421) is provided that permitscoupling of an external display, such as a color monitor, projectionunit, or other display presentation system including one or more ofaudio, visual, and audiovisual.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, means areprovided for moving through the printed (displayed) notation of themusic in synchronization with the live performance from the displayedmusical notation.

Musical notation is used, in the generic sense, to refer to any way ofconveying musical performance instructions including but not limited tocommon musical notation with staffs, notes, sharps, fiats, and clefs,extending to written instructions in text form to supplement this orsupplant or partially replace, as well as alternate forms of expressionsuch as chord charts, words and chords (letters), tablature, any video,graphic, audio, audiovisual or other display presentation or combinationof the aforementioned types of presentations.

An annoyance in performing music using any written notation (whether onpaper or displayed on a presentation apparatus such as a screen) issmoothly performing music and timing “flips of pages” (or thecommunication of change to a third party, such as touching a key orbutton). This is especially true when the user is marching and bothhands are required simultaneously.

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, means areprovided to accept inputs from one or more sources that initiate a “pageturn.” Types of inputs include conventional touch input apparatus (suchas key switches or capacitive touch pads), motion sensing gear, andautomatically when operating in the operational mode of Auto Mode. Themotion sensing gear can be for a portion of the performer's body, suchas a head tilt sensor or an optical eye movement sensor, etc.

Additional types of inputs that can initiate a “page turn” include voiceor sound recognition apparatus built into the microcontroller system.This apparatus has the ability to use pattern recognition specific tothe sound or user voice and words being said (for extremely highaccuracy). Of course, any type of user actuated device such as a foot orhand switch, or head motion device, or sound or voice recognitionsystem, in a preferred embodiment, is selectively permitted to controlthe override of the normal progression of the music's play.

The override may cause the progression to go backwards or forwards inthe music score irrespective of the normal reading of it. Theperformance mode AutoMode blocks the user override to permit performanceaccording to proper material timing. This automatically moves throughthe musical score as written and preferably shows an indication ofmetronome time and an indication of the proper place in the score wherethe performer should be for that instrument at any specific time. Thisis especially valuable in a conductor mode of networked communication,where a conductor couples to one or more music workstations.

The user's performance can be compared to the score, and feedback can beprovided to the performer as to the quality of their performance.

In the performance monitor mode, for a single user or multiple users,the user (or a remote teacher or conductor) can indicate the rate atwhich he feels the performer should be performing. A microphone input onthe music workstation samples the user's actual performance and permitsproviding a graphical mapping (for the user or teacher/conductor)showing the relative synchronization of the performer's actualperformance versus the conductor's desired performance.

With use of appropriate sound baffling, a plurality of instruments cansimultaneously be monitored and controlled by the conductor, so long aseach instrument's output sound pattern is communicated directly to arespective workstation. The output of each of the workstations can thenbe coupled to the conductor's master workstation for further analysisand processing.

A workstation for an oboe may have a built in slide boom with afeatherweight microphone to be able to receive sound input from theoboe. Electric instruments, such as guitars, keyboards, and otherelectrical analog signal sources can be fed directly to a line inputthat is appropriately buffered and filtered. Signal input can also beaccommodated through a MIDI-interface sub-system that permits bothutilization of data in workstation to workstation communications andutilization of MIDI-output at the station where the data was input.

By combining the conductor and performance-mode operations, theworkstation can be enhanced to provide training and comparison ofperformance to actual music.

Some music is only available in notated forms where there is not anexisting signal showing proper synchronization of the signals. Thus, acontroller subsystem (such as (580)) provides for real time conversionand analysis of syntax of the music notation, in conjunction with aprecision clock metronome, and provides an indicator (such as color orother highlighting or bolding or accentuating) of the relative timing ofthe performance relative to a place in the sheet music (or other form ofmusical notation).

Existing forms of music notation can be converted manually, or can beconverted automatically by scanning in sheet music, recognizing (usingoptical character recognition) the various elements of the music, andfacets and specifics of the syntax in the form of notation including itsconstants and variables and protocols, and integrating via an artificialintelligence type expert system that notates, highlights, andaccentuates via synchronized metronoming of time signature to music. Anyof a variety of other means of converting music can also be used, suchas direct input of musical performance signals processed via softwarethat converts it into musical notation. Such software is commerciallyavailable, such as from ARS NOVA, Wildcat Canyon Software, Mark of theUnicorn, Inc., and Passport Designs, Inc.

Since the music notation is now in computer usable form, it is now aneasy task to communicate, display, compose, alter, and transpose music(such as in key, for types of instruments or voice parts, and harmonies)via well-known techniques.

Implementation can also be in a custom design comprised of amicroprocessor, non-volatile storage memory, read/write memory, andwhatever additional peripheral circuitry is needed (such as areavailable in ASICs, or single chip micro-computer chip sets includingCPUs, DSPs, A/D, and other peripheral support circuitry). These singleor multiple chip solutions can be utilized to create a dedicated systemto perform complete music workstations performance criteria to supportan extremely low cost, high volume music workstation solution.

A new form of communication is created in that both the process ofcommunicating via standard notation is respected and adhered to, whileat the same time permitting interaction and communication of music mediasignals.

A multi CD ROM changer accommodates indexed storage of hundreds ofthousands to millions of musical compositions to permit complete standalone operation of the user music workstation. Alternatively, anoptional built-in or external modem can be provided to permitinter-communication with a remote central music database managementsystem that permits both communication and down loading (and disconnect)for stand alone operation. Thus the workstation can stay on-line,pulling up music as needed, or can request a single or multiple piecesof musical works be provided to it, that are then downloaded from thecentral database manager. The user workstation then disconnects from themusic database management system, and thereafter operates stand alonewhere all desired music is stored locally in storage (preferablynon-volatile). Storage can be semiconductor, magnetic, optical or anyother medium.

The use of virtual reality technology, including motion sensors and bodygloves, permits monitoring of various other things (as shown in FIG. 9).For example, as shown in FIG. 10, a camera in conjunction with analysislogic, such as expert software, can monitor motion of role modelbehavior and compare performer behavior. Hand, finger, arm, leg, eye,head, body, and mouth movements can all be monitored and constructivecritical feedback can be accumulated, analyzed, and fed back to the useror teacher, for performer training, or performances, or for conductorcommunication.

The input of monitored movement data is provided to the userworkstation, permitting precise mechanics training such as fingerposition, the angle of striking of swings relative to the neck of aviolin or guitar, or they can be used to permit the virtual performanceof music by a performer using a virtual link apparatus such as a virtualreality glove and head movement detection apparatus. The user can thenperform a piece with his own personalization without any musicalinstrument in fact.

For example, the guitar portion for a piece of music could be displayedin notation form and actually performed according to the timing ofmovements of the user's fingers (either actual fret positions, or onlytiming information). To add further reality, a mock guitar, keyboard,flute, or other instrument can be used and combined with virtual effectsto provide for music performance and personalization. Thus, forentertainment purposes, users could perform as part of a symphonyorchestra playing a violin portion. If they performed out of time, theywould hear their instruments' performance out of synch with the rest ofthe orchestra's performance.

There are numerous ways to embody the conductor movement interpretationsystem. As illustrated in FIGS. 9 and 10, one is utilizing the bodymovement detection apparatus prevalent in virtual reality, sportsmedicine, etc., as discussed above, to identify specific movementpatterns or signal parameters associated with certain movement patterns,to initiate a display presentation, audio, video, or audiovisual toprovide a presentation associated with movement of the conductor.Alternatively, other techniques can be used such as taking the videofeed from a video camera or other video source (e.g. VCR) and having theconductor interpret his movements and assign them unique meanings, tocreate a lexicon of his movements and corresponding meaning.

For example, rapid downward movements of the hand from up to down, in acertain manner, indicate “decrease the volume.” When he points at aparticular section at the same time as he is doing that, he isindicating that only that orchestra section is to reduce volume. In thismanner, either camera input of movements, glove sensing of movements, orother techniques (such as audio, ultrasonic, etc.) can be used to trackmovement to permit associated meanings to be attached or indexed toparticular signal parameters or parametric signals of the meaning of themovement parameters as provided by the conductor input device. Forexample, in the case of the virtual reality glove, that input would bethe signal output of the glove as interpreted by associated software ina processor (such as a PC or a MAC). Alternatively, for example, in thecase of video camera input, it could be pattern recognition or analogsignal comparison to determine the presence of certain signal patternsindicating to the system to initiate automatic communication of aconductor presentation. In so doing, the conductor is able to rapidlyconvey his meaning, focus it to a particular group of instruments, andbe done with it. He doesn't have to focus very long or concentrate tomake sure they've gotten his signal. Instead he can focus on listeningto see if they got his message.

FIG. 8 illustrates an alternate embodiment of the present invention. Inthis embodiment, the workstations are remote units (801-803) used by amember of a marching band. Each of the remote units (801-803) areequipped with receivers (810-812) that receive musical compositionstransmitted to them. Remote units controllers (820-822) control theoperation of the remote unit (801-803). The musical composition isdisplayed on the remote unit's displays (830-832) which displays can bean LCD multiple line display providing low cost, low power usage, andhigh visibility/readability, and with Auto Advance Mode, the displayautomatically scrolls as the music is to be performed.

Each remote unit (801-803) can be mounted on the instrument on or inplace of the lyre. The remote unit's antenna (840-842) can be separatefrom or built into the remote unit or the lyre.

A transportable main unit (850) is used to transmit musical compositionsto the remote units (801-803). The transportable main unit (850) iscomprised of a controller (806) for controlling the transportable mainunit (850), a music database storage medium (805) containing the datafor the musical compositions to be played by the band, and a transmitter(804) for transmitting the musical compositions to the remote units(801-803). This main unit can be in the form of a suitcase or briefcasesize item. The main unit can also be provided built into a van that isdriven around with the band or as a small self-contained portable unit.In accordance with this embodiment, the band can play a virtuallyunlimited number of musical compositions without the problem of carryingthe music with them in paper form. It also relieves the band members ofthe problems of changing music and changing pages while marching. Asdiscussed in the above embodiments, in the performance mode, the musicalscore is automatically scrolled across the screen display (830-832).Additionally, a keyboard and/or microphone can be attached to thetransportable main unit allowing the conductor to send messages to theremote units via displays (830-832) or via a speaker associated withunits (801-803). This allows the conductor to send instructions to theband (such as to take a certain route, or play at different volumes orspeeds). With bidirectional communications and user performancefeedback, the conductor can also monitor for errors.

FIG. 9 illustrates a conductor, stage hand, or other person with asensor glove on each hand (935) and a head and eye movement monitor(930). The figure also illustrates the conductor wearing full bodysensor equipment (940). Either embodiment or a combined embodiment canbe used to map body movements. If only the gloves (935) or body sensors(944) are used, the movement of the glove or sensors can be captured bya video system, as illustrated in FIG. 10.

Other methods that capture motion rely on specialized sensors (944)placed on a performer's joints, such as via a sensor body suit (940).Once motion has been filmed or analyzed, a data set is produced tointerpret that movement into Cartesian co-ordinates. These co-ordinatesprovide the spatial location of each of those markers. This informationis then cleaned up and input to an animation package.

FIG. 10 illustrates a video camera (1005) and a standing conductor(1015) (or performing musician to-be tracked or virtually linked toperform), with or without a blue screen (1010) behind him. The videocamera (1005) feeds a video signal to the video processing system (1020)that utilizes signal processing to provide signal pattern recognitioncapability. The blue in the screen is filtered out in the signalprocessing such as by an Ultimatte process.

In one embodiment, the conductor is wearing a sensor equipped body suit(940) and gloves (935) of FIG. 9. In another embodiment, the conductoris wearing only the sensor equipped gloves (935) of FIG. 9. In stillanother embodiment, the conductor's movements are picked up by the videocamera (1005) and processed without a sensor suit.

Simple things, like looking for the conductor's rapid hand movements,focusing on specific hand movement areas, facial and head movement, armmovements, and body language can all be programmed into the recognitionknowledge base. Some of the technology for complete mapping of bodymovement that exists in making video games of today are illustrated inVideo Systems magazine, page 42, October 1995, Vol. 21, No. 11, and NEXTGeneration magazine, pages 49-54, October 1995, both incorporated hereinby reference.

In any event, having now obtained knowledge related to recognition ofthe movements, the system can interpret them and utilize them to conveypresentation information to the ensemble or orchestra or studio members,or to analyze a performer's movements, or to permit a virtualperformance. One example would be a large screen television or multiplelarge screen televisions for viewing by the members of the viewinggroup. Alternatively, each music stand could provide for a picture inpicture display of special movements of the conductor in areas of thedisplay where music is not currently being played. Since the stand canhave the intelligence to compare the performed music to the playedmusic, that embodiment permits display of the message in potions of themusic display area which have already been performed or are not going tobe performed for some time (e.g., at least ten seconds in eitherdirection; other criteria could alternatively be used, and can be set upfor desired characteristics of the performing environment).

Voice recognition and response to conductor commentary can supplementthe system. The system could record the message, interpret to whom theconductor directed the message and convey it audibly or translate itinto a text or icon display as a part of the system's audiovisualpresentation.

From the foregoing, it will be observed that numerous variations andmodifications may be effected without departing from the spirit andscope of the invention. It is to be understood that no limitation withrespect to the specific apparatus illustrated herein is intended orshould be inferred. It is, of course, intended to cover by the appendedclaims all such modifications as fall within the scope of the claims.

1. A system producing a display presentation, the system comprising: astorage memory providing storage of data relating to an originalcomposition utilized to generate a video display presentation of theoriginal composition; a master subsystem controlling communication ofthe data utilized in generating the video display presentation of theoriginal composition, coupled to the storage memory; at least one slavecomputing subsystem comprising a processor, local memory and a localdisplay apparatus; wherein said at least one slave computing subsystemstores the data in the respective local memory of said at least oneslave computing subsystem responsive to the communication and provides arespective local video display responsive to the respective localmemory; wherein the original composition is utilized in common byauthorized ones of a plurality of individual users, utilizing the mastersubsystem and said at least one slave computing subsystem, to permitworking together in a group among the authorized ones of the pluralityof individual users; and wherein said working together in a groupfurther comprises: selectively permitting each of the plurality ofindividual users to utilize the portion of the original composition in ashared manner among the authorized ones of the plurality of individualusers in the group.
 2. The system as in claim 1, wherein each of therespective slave computing subsystem is associated with a respective oneof the plurality of individual users and is programmed as a user typewithin a group to be at least one of: an authorized one to permitlocally displaying the respective display presentation of said at leastone portion of the original composition, an authorized one to permitlocally altering the respective display presentation of said at leastone portion Of the original composition, and an authorized one to permitcommunication from the respective slave computing subsystem to otherauthorized ones of respective slave computing subsystems within thegroup.
 3. The system as in claim 1, wherein the master subsystem iscoupled to provide communication with said at least one slave computingsubsystem via at least one of wired communication, wirelesscommunication, and communication via an internet connection, andcommunication via coupling through a central server computer.
 4. Thesystem as in claim 1, further comprising: a plurality of slave computingsubsystems each providing a respective local video display responsive tothe communication; wherein the original composition is utilized incommon by the authorized ones of the plurality of users/utilizing themaster subsystem and said plurality of slave computing subsystems, topermit working together in a group among the authorized ones of theplurality of individual users; and wherein said working together in agroup comprises selectively permitting at least two of the authorizedones of the plurality of users that are working together in a group toutilize, in common, the original composition, to permit at least one of:displaying the respective display presentation of said at least oneportion of the original composition, alternating the respective displaypresentation of said at least one portion of the original composition,and communicating of changes made via the altering to the respectivedisplay presentation of at least one portion of the originalcomposition.
 5. The system as in claim 4, wherein at least one of theslave computing subsystems acts as the master subsystem.
 6. The systemas in claim 4, wherein there is a plurality of slave computingsubsystems each providing a respective local video display, wherein themaster subsystem provides a video display comprised of all the localvideo displays occurring at all of said plurality of slave computingsubsystems in the group.
 7. The system as in claim 4, wherein the mastersubsystem provides simultaneous generation of the local video displaysat all of the plurality of slave computing subsystems in the group. 8.The system as in claim 1, wherein the master subsystem communicates thedata to said at least one slave computing subsystem which responsive tothe data provides a local audio presentation to synchronously accompanythe respective local video display.
 9. The system as in claim 1, furthercomprising: wherein the master subsystem provides selection of anauto-operation mode to generate a real-time scrolling of the respectivelocal video displays for all of the authorized ones of the users. 10.The system as in claim 4, further comprising: control logic selecting aplurality of the slave computing subsystems as the authorized ones ofthe users to receive the communication; wherein the communication fromthe master subsystem is only to the respective ones of the plurality ofslave computing subsystems of the authorized ones of the users.
 11. Thesystem as in claim 4, wherein at least one of the authorized ones of theusers is associated with a leader, wherein other ones of the authorizedones of the users are associated with non-leader members of the grouputilizing respective ones of the plurality of the slave computingsubsystems.
 12. The system as in claim 4, wherein the master subsystemprovides communication of at least one derivative composition derivedfrom the original composition responsive to the altering; and whereineach of the authorized ones of the slave computing subsystems isresponsive to the communication of said at least one derivativecomposition to provide a display presentation of said at least onederivative composition on the respective local video display of therespective one of the slave computing subsystems.
 13. The system as inclaim 1, wherein the master subsystem provides a video display at themaster subsystem of the respective local video display as it appears atsaid at least one of the plurality of the slave computing subsystems.14. The system as in claim 4, wherein the communication of the changesis comprised of a change data file of the changes made via the alteringto the original composition; and wherein the change data file iscommunicated to the plurality of the slave computing subsystems in thegroup.
 15. The system as in claim 4, wherein the original composition isin a page format comprising a plurality of pages to be displayed, andwherein the master subsystem provides control of page-turning in thedisplay presentation by all of the plurality of slave computingsubsystems.
 16. The system as in claim 4, wherein a separate softwareprogram is executed on each of the plurality of slave computingsubsystems to provide access to the master subsystem which acts as aremote server.
 17. The system as in claim 4, wherein the mastersubsystem selectively grants permission by entering a respective one ormore unique addresses for selected ones of the respective one or more ofthe plurality of slave computing subsystems, as the authorized onespermitted at least one of displaying the respective display presentationof said at least one portion of the original composition, altering therespective display presentation of said at least one portion of theoriginal composition, and communicating of changes made via the alteringto the respective display presentation of at least one portion of theoriginal composition; and wherein all of the one or more slave computingsubsystems that are granted permission are provided common access to asame common database via the master subsystem.
 18. A method ofpresenting an image to be displayed, the method comprising: storing, ina server computing subsystem, data representative of at least oneportion of the image to be displayed; communicating said data from theserver to at least one slave computing subsystem; storing said data,responsive to the communicating, in a local memory of said at least oneslave computing subsystem; displaying said at least one portion of theimage to be displayed on a respective local display at said at least oneslave computing subsystem responsive to the local memory; utilizing theimage to be displayed by at least one of a plurality of users, workingtogether as a group and via utilizing the server computing subsystem;and permitting said working together as a group according to individualauthorization levels of each respective one of the plurality of users topermit utilization as a common work, said image to be displayed, so asto selectively permit at least one of: displaying the respective displaypresentation of said at least one portion of the to be displayed,altering the respective display presentation of said at least oneportion of the image to be displayed, and communicating of changes madevia the altering to the respective display presentation of at least oneportion of image to be displayed.
 19. The method as in claim 18, whereinsaid image to be displayed is represented by a plurality of portionswhich together provide a display of the image to be displayed, themethod further comprising: displaying the plurality of portions in adefined sequence as multiple separate display presentations of the imageto be displayed; and advancing the display of the multiple separatedisplay presentations of the image to be displayed such that theplurality of portions are displayed in the defined sequence on selectedones of the plurality of slave computing subsystems, responsive toindividual authorization levels of each respective one of the pluralityof users responsive to the master subsystem.
 20. The method as in claim19, wherein the image to be displayed has timing data associatedtherewith, and wherein said advancing the display is further comprisedof automatically advancing the image to be displayed among the multipledisplay presentations responsive to the timing data.
 21. The method asin claim 18, further comprising: providing operational control of saidat least one slave computing subsystem responsive to the servercomputing subsystem; and displaying said portion of the image to bedisplayed on said at least one slave computing subsystem responsive tosaid operational control.
 22. The method as in claim 18, furthercomprised of a plurality of slave computing subsystems each associatedwith a respective one of the plurality of users in the group, the methodcomprising: utilizing the image to be displayed in common by authorizedones of the plurality of users in the group utilizing the respectiveassociated ones of the plurality of slave computing subsystems, topermit working together collaboratively in a group, wherein said workingtogether collaboratively in a group comprises selectively permittingsaid authorized ones of the plurality of users in the group to utilize,in common, the image to be displayed, to permit as individuallyauthorized for each of the plurality of slave computing subsystems, atleast one of: displaying the respective display presentation of said atleast one portion of the image to be displayed, altering the respectivedisplay presentation of said at least one portion of the image to bedisplayed, and communicating of changes made via the altering to therespective display presentation of at least one portion of image to bedisplayed.
 23. The system as in claim 1, wherein there is a plurality ofthe slave computing subsystems each providing at the respective localvideo display a modified video display on a video display at the mastersubsystem of a respective derivative composition created via altering atthe respective one of the plurality of slave computing subsystems,wherein the master subsystem provides a simultaneous display of therespective local displays of the respective derivative compositionsappearing at all of a plurality of slave computing subsystems.
 24. Themethod as in claim 19, wherein the image to be displayed isrepresentative of at least one of: a music composition, a textcomposition, an educational composition, a scanned image, a digitalimage tile, a computer-generated composition, anoptical-character-recognized composition, a user-provided composition,performance notation, a movie, graphic data, a musical score, an audiopresentation that can be selectively tracked to the respective localdisplay, music notation, staffs and notes, tablature, hand-drawnnotation, image data, written instructions, graphic data, and anaudiovisual movie image.
 25. The method as in claim 18, furthercomprising: registering at least one of: an identity of each respectiveuser of the group of a plurality of slave computing subsystems and anidentity of each corresponding respective one of the plurality of slavecomputing subsystems being used by each said respective user; receivingat the server computing subsystem a change to the image to be displayed;initiating respective changes input via at least one of a keyboard, atouch screen device, a touch-sensitive device, a digitizer andelectronic stylus, a microphone, a video camera, an alphanumerickeyboard, and an integrated musical-alphanumeric keyboard as made at anygiven time for each of the plurality of users in the group; allowing theserver computing subsystem to select as to each respective change of thechanges whether the respective change is to be transmitted to all theplurality of users in the group or only to those of the plurality ofusers in the group that is impacted by the change; wherein the servercomputing subsystem selects to transmit for each respective change, thechange only to the specific users impacted by the change, determiningwhich of the plurality of users are impacted by the change andidentifying which of the respective corresponding computerized devicesare registered for the respective users impacted by the change; andtransmitting the change in accordance with the server computingsubsystem's selections.
 26. The method as in claim 25, furthercomprising: displaying a display presentation of the composition andlocal changes for each respective one of said slave computing subsystemson a local video display at said respective one of said slave computingsubsystems; and displaying on at least one of the slave computingsubsystems the display presentation appearing on all of the plurality ofslave computing subsystems.
 27. A system providing a displaypresentation, the system comprising: a master computing subsystemcomprising a processor, memory providing storage of stored datacomprising composition data representative of a composition utilized togenerate a video display of the composition responsive thereto, and forstorage of stored change data representative of changes to the videodisplay of the composition and a communications interface to providecommunications of the stored data; a plurality of slave computingsubsystems each comprising: a processor; memory providing local storageof local data responsive at least in part to the communication and alocal display wherein the local display provides a local videopresentation responsive to the respective local storage, wherein thelocal storage is comprised of local composition data, the stored changedata, and local change data presentative of locally made changes at therespective slave computing subsystem to the video display of thecomposition; wherein the video display of the composition is utilized incommon by a plurality of users utilizing the plurality of slavecomputing subsystems, to permit working together collaboratively in agroup; and wherein said working together collaboratively in a groupfurther comprises selectively permitting each one of the plurality ofusers in the group to utilize in common, the display presentation of thecomposition, to permit at least one of: displaying the respectivedisplay presentation of said at least one portion of the composition,altering the respective display presentation of said at least oneportion of the composition, and communicating of changes made via thealtering to the respective display presentation of at least one portionof the composition.
 28. The system as in claim 27, wherein datarepresentative of the composition is representative of at least one of:performance notation, music notation, staffs and notes, tablature,hand-drawn notation, chord charts, a video visual presentation, agraphic presentation, an audio presentation, an audiovisualpresentation, user-friendly notation, an audio presentation that can beselectively tracked to the local display presentation, image data, aphotograph, a moving picture, a movie, written instructions, text, amusic composition, a text composition, a composition data file, adigital data file, a data table, an educational composition, auser-provided composition, a scanned image, a digital image file, acomputer-generated composition, an optical-character-recognizedcomposition, a musical score, non-written instructions, images, scannedand digitized input, a computer generated display image, graphics, astill photo image, an audio-only sound image, and graphic data.
 29. Thesystem as in claim 27, wherein the master computing subsystem providescommunicates edit data utilized to generate a display presentation ofedits made relative to a respective portion of a video display of arespective portion of the image to be displayed, and wherein at leastone of the plurality of slave computing subsystems provides on therespective local video display a display presentation of the edits shownaligned with the display presentation of the respective portion of thecomposition.
 30. The method as in claim 18, further comprising:utilizing, as individually authorized for each of the plurality of usersworking collaboratively in the group, the image to be displayed, topermit at least one of: locally displaying the image; practicingutilizing the image; performing utilizing the image; modifying thedisplay presentation of utilizing the image to be displayed; andrecording at least one of: an audio representation of the displaypresentation of the image to be displayed, a visual representation ofthe display presentation of the image to be displayed, and anaudio-visual representation of the display presentation of the image tobe displayed.
 31. The system as in claim 27, further comprising: whereinthe master computing subsystem enables a simultaneous local displaypresentation to occur at all of the plurality of slave computingsubsystems in the group.
 32. The system as in claim 27, wherein themaster computing subsystem generates a respective video displaypresentation at the master computing subsystem, representative of thelocal display presentation appearing at all of, the plurality of theslave computing subsystems.
 33. The system as in claim 27, wherein thecomposition has a plurality of portions that can be displayed assubsequent portions in a defined sequence; and wherein the mastercomputing subsystem provides control of advancing of the local displaypresentation on at least one of the plurality of slave computingsubsystems such that the subsequent portions are displayed on said atleast one of the plurality of slave computing subsystems, responsive tothe master computing subsystem.
 34. The system as in claim 1, whereinthe original composition is representative of at least one of: a musiccomposition, a text composition, a composition data file, a digital datafile, a data table, an educational composition, a scanned image, adigital image file, a computer-generated composition, anoptical-character-recognized composition, a user-provided composition,performance notation, music notation, staffs and notes, tablature,hand-drawn notation, chord charts, a video visual presentation, agraphic presentation, an audio presentation, an audiovisualpresentation, user-friendly notation, an audio presentation that can beselectively tracked to the local display presentation, a visual image, aphotographic image, a moving picture, a movie, written instructions,text, a musical score, non-written instructions, scanned and digitizedinput, a computer generated display image, graphics, a still photoimage, and an audio-only sound image.
 35. The system as in claim 27,comprising: a local user-input apparatus, at each of the plurality ofslave computing subsystems, providing respective local change datarepresentative of a respective user-input-based change to the respectivelocal video presentation; and wherein the local change data from each ofthe plurality of slave computing subsystems is communicated and storedas the stored change data, which is also communicated to all other onesof each of the plurality of slave computing subsystems and is store inthe respective local storage, wherein the local display provides thelocal video presentation, responsive to the respective local storage.36. The system as in claim 35, wherein the memory provides centralstorage of the stored change data as a mapping of the local change dataas communicated from each of said plurality of slave computingsubsystems; and wherein the mapping correlates the local change data toprovide alignment with the video display of the composition to provide acombined video display.
 37. The system as in claim 27, wherein each ofthe slave computing subsystems can be enabled to operate as a mastercomputing subsystem, wherein multiple master computing subsystems cancooperatively interact in the system.
 38. The system as in claim 28,wherein each of the plurality of slave computing subsystems is coupledvia a network to be enabled to utilize the master computing subsystem,wherein the master computing subsystem provides remote control forcooperative interaction of the plurality of slave computing subsystems.39. The system as in claim 27, wherein the master computing subsystemprovides registering of at least one of: an identity of each respectiveuser of the group a plurality of slave computing subsystems and anidentity of each respective one of the corresponding one of theplurality of slave computing subsystems being used by each saidrespective user; wherein the master computing subsystem providesreceiving at the master computing subsystem of a change to the image tobe displayed; wherein respective changes are input via at least one of akeyboard, a touch screen device, a touch-sensitive device, a digitizerand electronic stylus, a microphone, a video camera, an alphanumerickeyboard, and an integrated musical-alphanumeric keyboard as made at anygiven time for each of the plurality of users in the group; wherein themaster computing subsystem to select as to each respective change of thechanges whether the respective change is to be transmitted to all theplurality of users in the group or only to those of the plurality ofusers in the group that is impacted by the change; wherein when themaster computing subsystem selects to transmit the change only to thespecific users impacted by the change, it does so by determining whichof the plurality of users are impacted by the change and identifyingwhich of the respective corresponding computerized devices areregistered for the respective users impacted by the change; and whereinthe master computing subsystem provides transmitting of the change inaccordance with the master computing subsystem's selections.
 40. Thesystem as in claim 27, wherein a separate software program is executedon each of the plurality of slave computing subsystems to provide accessto the master computing subsystem which acts as a remote server.